Valves



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VALVES Filed April 17, 1959 5 h et 3 INVENTOR KJKYL k /A i /WM *WM ATTORNEY United beats E rem 3,952,253 VALVES Robert J. Keller III, 3021 W. flay St., Richmond, Va. Filed Apr. 17, 1959,5er. No. save/s 10 Claims. (tCl. 137--454.5)

The invention relates to a valve of the general type of valve disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,658,716, issued November 10, 1953.

It is an object of this invention to provide a valve to adjust the closing of the valve at the point where water pressure closes the valve without dependence on manual actuation. A further object of the invention is to provide a valve stem and its projecting or cam member to which it is in screwthreaded connection, with a perforation extending axially through the cam member and into the valve stem so that a wrench or tool may be inserted into the perforation to provide for relative rotation of the cam member and valve stem for adjustment purposes. Another object of the invention is to provide the bottom of the hole in the valve stem with an hexagonal configuration with a like configuration for the wrench to accomplish a secure connection between the wrench and valve stem for rotary motion.

Another object of the invention resides in the removable handle which is secured to the valve structure by a screw threaded engaging member in a screwthreaded portion provided in an interengaging cam member.

A still further object of the invention resides in the configuration of the closure end of the valve stem with its relation to a washer.

Another object of the invention resides in making the internal parts of the valve of a plastic material including the cooperating faces of the cams and also the valve stem and its valve.

A further object of the invention resides in making certain parts of the valve of a high polymer formaldehyde plastic material, and preferably with an outer casing of metal.

Further objects will be apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing in which;

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal section of the valve showing the valve in open position,

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section of the valve showing the valve in the closed position and with the handle removed and the adjusting tool in operative position for adjustment,

FIGURE 3 is a cross section of the lower part of the valve taken on line 3--3 of FIGURE 1 in the direction of the arrows,

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of a lower cam member,

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal section of a modified valve with the parts shown in closed position,

FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal section partly in elevation showing the valve of FIGURE 5 partly open and in position for final self-closing,

FIGURE 7 is a longitudinal section of the valve of FIGURES 5 and 6 showing the valve in full open position,

FIGURE 8 is a cross section taken on line 88 of FIGURE 7,

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of the upper cams,

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of the lower cams,

FIGURE 11 is a longitudinal section of another modified valve showing the parts in closed position,

FIGURE 12 is a longitudinal section of the valve of FIGURE 11 on an enlarged scale with the valve in closed position,

FIGURE 13 is a cross section taken on line 13-13 of FIGURE 12 in the direction of the arrows,

FIGURE 14 is a plan view of the upper cam, and

FIGURE 15 is a cross section taken on line 15-15 of FIGURE 12v in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to FIGURES 1 to 4 the inner valve housing 2 is in screwthreaded engagement with and is secured in a valve casing (not shown) similar to the casing shown in Patent No. 2,658,716 and is secured in such outer casing by means of a threaded section 3. The valve housing 2 has a bottom inlet opening 4 provided with a washer 5 and outlet openings 6 arranged radially above the inlet and communicating with an open circumferential space 7. Another screwthreaded section 8 is provided near and above the section 3 and this receives a threaded collar (not shown) to secure a washer (not shown) in place to prevent leakage. A third threaded section 9 is provided at the top end of the housing 2 and this threaded section is in threaded engagement with a corresponding threaded section 14 arranged internally in a cap member 11. A screw 12 threaded in an upper cam member 13 secures the handle member 11 on the valve.

The member 13 is provided with a plurality of upper cam projections 14 of which there are preferably three in number and these cams 14 cooperate with lower cams 15 provided on an internal lower cam housing 16 connected by threaded engagement on the upper end of a valve stem 17. The upper cam 13 thus has three cams and three recesses with the edge faces of the cams at right angles whereas the lower cams 15 on the part 16 each have one face at 45 and the other side face at as shown in FIGURE 2. It is also possible to have both .faces of each of the lower cams at 45 The valve stem 17 is mounted in the casing 2 and a spring 18 is provided between the casing and the lower cam member 16. A closure face valve disk 15 forms part of the stem 17 and this disk 19 cooperates with the ring washer 5. The valve stem 17 is provided with a perforation 20 terminating in a hexagonal or other shaped bottom section 21 into which a tool 22, FIGURE 2, may be inserted to adjust the flow rate of the valve at the point of automatic seating and this is accomplished by removing the screw 12 and inserting the tool 22, which may be an Allen Hex wrench, to engage the hexagonal bottom section 21. When so engaged the valve handle 11 is turned to a point of last or final manual control before automatic seating takes place and the volume of water flow is observed issuing from the faucet. The tool 22 is then turned to right or left until the desired rate of minimum flow is observed and which is desired to thus adjust the rate of flow before automatic closing takes place. The adjust ment of the valve takes place by the relative movement of the stem 17 and the cam member 16, the adjustment of the valve causing a change in the relative position of the stem member 17 and seat washer 5, which in effect is changing the size of the orifice at the closing point.

As to stop means for the closed position of the valve, it is obvious that the handle will not be further rotated after it is observed that the valve is practically free of any water flow. However in the open position as shown in FIG. 1 the upper end of the housing 2 will abut against the cap member 11 so that this acts to limit the opening movement of the valve. It would be possible to provide a slot in the cap member 11 through which a set screw may project secured in the housing 2 to thus provide stops by the slot for both open and closed positions of the valve.

The various parts of the valve as shown in FIGURES 1 to 4 are preferably made of brass although other metal alloys may be used and also plastic materials may suitably be employed.

Referring to the modification of FIGURES 5 to 10, the handle 30 is secured on an upper com member 31 by means of a screw 32. The member 31 is provided with screw threads 33 which mesh with similar threads 2 34 in a valve housing 35. This housing 35 has the usual outlet openings 36 and an internal chamber 37 which latter may be closed by means of a valve disk 38 at the bottom end cooperating with a ring washer 39. The upper end of the valve stem 40 is in threaded engagement at 41 with a lower cam member 41 which has two cam projections 42 each having 45 end surfaces 43, FIG- URE 10. The upper cam member 31 has two projecting cams 44 having side surfaces of 90 relative to the bottom face of the cam member. FIGURES and 6 show the 90 side surfaces and FIGURE 9 shows the two cam projections 44.

FIGURE shows one of two key projections 45 which are adapted to slide in grooves 46 in the housing 35, FIG- URE 5, to prevent rotation of the valve stem 40.

FIGURE 8 illustrates the ends 47 of the thread 33 which are adapted to abut against the inwardly projecting ends of a spring 48 in the upper part of the housing 35, to act as a stop for the closed position of the valve handle.

As to FIGS. 5 to 10, the ends of the snap spring 48 projecting through the body of the valve act as a stop only for the valve in the closed position since the stop for the full open position is provided by the end of the cam member 31 abutting the shoulder in the body as clearly shown in FIG. 7.

In the operation of the valve of FIGURES 5 to 10, FIGURE 5 shows the valve closed with each cam projection 44 within its depressed section 49', FIGURE 10 between the cam projections 42. Upon rotation of the handle 39, counterclockwise the cam projections 44 will,

by a 90 edge thereof, contact the 45 surface 43 to force the valve stem 46 and disk 38 downwardly as in FIGURE 6 for the partial open position and finally as in FIGURE 7 for the full open position. The bottom end of the thread 33 on cap member 31 abuts against a seat on the housing 35 at x to prevent further rotation of the handle and upper cam member 31. In the operation of the valve in FIGURES 6 and 7 the threads 33 and 34 between and on the parts 31 and respectively, will adjust the amount of opening of the valve disk 38 but upon reverse rotation of the handle 30, clockwise, the cams approach the position of FIGURE 6 in which the upper cam portion 44 will just slide over the surface 43 and into the depressed space 49 so that the valve disk 38 will automatically seat itself due to the spring and water pressure to complete the closing position even with the valve handle 36 rotated to almost the end closed position. From the closed position, FIG. 5, to the cracked open position, FIG. 6, the valve disc 38 is adjusted slightly by the cam members and the thread engagement 33 and 34.

FIGURES 11 to 15 show a valve structure with many of the parts made of a plastic material except the outer parts which are preferably, as usual, made of brass, although other metals and alloys may be used. The plastic material which may be successfully used may be for instance a Du Pont Delrin which is a high polymer formaldehyde or a G. E. Lexan may be used which is a high molecular organic polycarbonate. These parts may be made by injection molding. As shown in FIGUREll the handle 30 is secured to an upper cam member 51 by means of a screw 52 and this cam member 51 is in screwthreaded connection with the inner casing member 53 at its upper neck portion 54, FIGURE 12. This upper cam member 51 cooperates with a lower cam member 55 shown as an end view in FIGURE 14 in which there are three projecting cam members 56 each with a side surface 57 on one end thereof and straight 90 sides on opposite ends 58 thereof. The cam member is provided with a pair of laterally projecting lugs or keys 59 to fit into corresponding grooves 60 in the neck portion 54 and in order to provide for only one way of assembly, one of the lugs and its cooperating groove is made larger than the other as shown in FIGURE 13. The lower 4. cam member 55 is threaded on a screw threaded portion 61 on and as a part of the valve stem 62 having a closure disk 63. This disk 63 cooperates with a seat washer 64 in the inner casing 53 and this casing has as usual, a plurality of outlet openings 65. The inner casing 53 is mounted in a metal outer casing 66 and is secured in the casing 66 by means of a holding nut 67 threaded into the casing 66 and provided with a flange 68 forming an annular space 69 to receive a washer therein. The inner casing 53 has at least four dogs or lugs 70 therein into which a corresponding number of teeth '71 project to prevent the parts from turning.

As shown in FIGURE 13 the upper cam member 51 has a lateral projecting member 72 into which a screw 73 is threaded and which projects inwardly into a spiral short groove 74 in the neck portion 54 of the inner casing member 53. This screw 73 limits the rotary movement of the handle 50 and therewith the upper cam member 51. The slot-type stop with the set screw is thus clearly shown in FIGS. 11 and 13.

FIGURE 15 shows the lower part of the inner casing 53 with the outlet openings 65 and a pair of key projections 75.

The parts 51, 53, 54, 55, 75 and 75 are made of the plastic synthetic material.

As best shown in FIGURE 12, the holding and securing nut 67 has a screwthreaded portion 76 which is in screwthreaded engagement with the threaded portion 77 in the casing 66 of the valve housing. The securing nut 67 has an outer skirt or flange 68 which latter has a circular ring surface 79 which abuts against a surface 80 on the casing 66. Also a stepped surface 81 contacts the bottom rim surface 82 and the bottom rim surface 83 contacts the casing 66 at the surface 84 and this bottom rim surface 82 is part of the collar portion 85 in which the washer 64 is housed. Thus when the nut 67 is fully assembled in secure position with the surface 80 on the casing, the surface 81 just contacts the surface at point 82 and the surface 83 also just contacts the casing at 84. It will therefore be seen that no matter how tight the nut 67 is drawn into the casing 66, it will not be possible to crack or otherwise damage the plastic internal part 53 since the surfaces 81 and 83 just contact the casing 66. To make the threaded sections 76 and 77 liquid tight, there is provided a washer 86 within the space 69 in the nut 67 adjacent the flange 68.

As shown in FIGURE 12 there is a 45 angle shoulder on the inside of the nut 67 at point 70 and this shoulder in the nut and the mating shoulder in the plastic body member 53 actually bears the greater portion of the force when the valve is under water pressure. The shoulder 81 also helps and thus there are two shoulders one at the top and one at the bottom of the plastic centerpiece.

The operation of the form of the valve shown in FIG- URES 11 to 15 is similar to the operation of the valve of FIGURES 1 to 10. In opening the valve the handle 30 is rotated which forces the cam member 55 and the stem 62 with 63 downwardly, FIGURE 12, so that the disk 63 will be forced from the washer 64 to thus open the valve by means of the threaded engagement at 54. Upon closing the valve cam portions will cooperate in the same manner as in the valves of FIGURES 1 to 10. In the same way in closing the valve is brought to almost closing position so that final closing takes place automatically and without manual effort or guidance. This as pointed out before will end all drip problems when valves are not shut off with such care that the valve is in fact completely shut off.

'In this invention if there are three cam faces this ideally requires the use of a triple lead thread, whereas a two face cam should be designed with a double lead thread. In other words a three cam relationship requires a triple thread, that is three lead-in threads between the inner casing and the operating head, while a two cam relation ship requires a double thread, that is two lead-in threads.

One primary purpose of the valve according to FIG- URES 11 to 15 is to eliminate the mating of plastic and brass threads. When threads of such dissimilar materials are mated, the stripping of the plastic thread is a common problem. The correlation between the pitch of the threads and the distance between the stop means depends upon whether the slot type stop is used, FIGS. 1, 2, 11, 12, 13, or whether the modified spring type stop is used. In the case of the slot type stop, the pitch of the thread and the pitch of the slot are identical. If a 3 faced cam is used, FIG. 14, the ends of the slot shall limit rotational movement of cap 51, FIGS. 11 and 12, to a maximum of 90; and since the raised surface of the upper and the lower cams, FIG, 14, will allow total rotation of the cap of 118 before over-ride, it is obvious that there is 28 of cam engagement left when the valve is in the wide open position. As regards the spring or modified type stop, FIGS. 5 to 10, the spring 48 projects through the body of the valve and acts as a stop only for the valve in the closed position. The stop for the full open position is provided by the end of the member 31 contacting the shoulder at x in the body 35, FIG. 7. With the valve in the fully closed position so that the two ends of the spring (located 180 apart) are contacting the two upper milled fiat ends of the double thread, the distance from the bottom of member 31 to shoulder as in the body 35 is such that when 31 bottoms against shoulder x, the rotation of member 31 shall not exceed 141 leaving a surface contact of the two high sections of the two cams of 21 thus preventing over-ride.

I claim as my invention:

1. A valve for fluid systems comprising a casing having a valve seat, a stem with a closure disk in said casing, means including a handle connected to the casing and the stem for manually moving the disk in an opening and closing direction relative to the valve seat, means to automatically close the disk on the seat effective at a point just prior to the final closing position of the disk on the valve seat, and manually adjustable means on and in the stem to adjust the stem and disk for the point of automatic closure of the disk on the valve seat by adjustment while water is flowing through the valve from a fluid system.

2. A valve for fluid systems comprising a casing having a valve seat, a stem with a closure disk in said casing, means including a handle connected to the casing and the stem for manually moving the disk in an opening and closing direction relative to the valve seat, means to automatically close the disk on the seat effective at a point just prior to the final closing position of the disk on the valve seat, and adjustable means on and in the stem to adjust the stem and disk for the point of automatic closure of the disk on the valve seat, said means including a perforation in the stem and through the handle with fixed bottom configuration in the perforation for entry of a tool to accomplish the adjustment while water is flowing through the valve from a fluid system.

3. A valve for fluid systems comprising a casing having a valve seat, a stem with a closure disk in said casing, means including a handle connected to the casing and the stern for manually moving the disk in an opening and closing direction relative to the valve seat, means to automatically close the disk on the seat effective at a point just prior to the final closing position of the disk on the valve seat, and adjustable means on and in the stem to adjust the stem and disk for the point of automatic closure of the disk on the valve seat, said means including a perforation in the stern and through the handle with a hexagonal bottom section for entry of a tool to accomplish the adjustment by contact with the bottom section to rotate the stem and disk while water is flowing through the valve from a fluid system.

4. A valve for fluid systems comprising a casing having a valve seat, a stem with a closure disk in said casing with the disk cooperating with the valve seat, a pair of cooperating cam members with one mounted on the stem by screw threaded connection therewith, a handle having a threaded connection with the casing and in which the other cam member is mounted for manually moving the disk in an opening and closing direction relative to the valve seat, means to automatically close the disk on the seat eifective at a point just prior to the final closing position of the disk on the valve seat, said handle and its cam member and the stem having a perforation therethrough terminating in a section in the stem so that a tool may be inserted to adjust the stem relative to the last-mentioned cam member while water is flowing through the valve from a fluid system, and said cam members cooperating to open the valve and to close the disk on the valve seat by manual operation of the handle with a final automatic closing of the disk on the valve seat, said adjustment of the stem determining the beginning of the automatic closing of the valve disk.

5. A valve according to claim 4, in which the cooperating cam members are opposed to each other as upper and lower cams with the upper cams having end faces and each lower cam having a 45 face on one end and a 90 face on the other end.

6. A valve according to claim 4, in which the cooperating cam members are opposed to each other as upper and lower cams with the upper cams having 90 end faces and each lower cam having a 45 face on one end and a 90 face on the other end, each cam member having three projecting cams with spaces between adjacent cams.

7. A valve for fluid systems comprising a casing having a valve seat therein, a stem with a closure disk in said casing, a handle in threaded engagement with the casing, an upper cam member secured to the handle, a lower cam member secured on the stem, each cam member having a pair of spaced cam projections cooperating with each other so that when in abutting relationship the valve will be open and when the cam projections are depressed into the spaces between cam projections the valve will be closed, said cam projections being spaced so that the manual operation of the handle will open the valve and upon closing of the valve the manual control will function until just short of complete closing, means causing the cam projections to slip into the spaces between the cams which will automatically close the valve with no manual control, and means in the stem operable by a tool to rotate the stern relative to the lower cam member to adjust the point of automatic closing of the valve with the adjustment being carried out while water is flowing through the valve from a fluid system.

8. A valve according to claim 7, in which the cam projections of the upper cam member each have 90 end faces and the cam projections of the lower cam member each have 45 end faces.

9. A valve according to claim 7, in which a spring member is provided around at least one half the periphery of the valve casing at the upper end thereof and having end sections bent inwardly to abut against the thread portions of the upper cam member to form a limit stop for the handle.

.10. A valve according to claim 7, in which the lower cam member and the casing is provided with means to prevent rotation of the stem and its closure disk.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,886,058 Shoemaker Nov. 1, 1932 2,094,462 Mueller Sept. 28, 1937 2,606,450 Bolling Aug. 12, 1952 2,658,716 Winfree Nov. 10, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,015,289 Germany Sept. 5, 1957 

